


Ahead by a Century

by Unbreakablefantasy



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Comfort/Angst, First Kiss, Fluff, Getting Together, Late Night Conversations, Light Angst, M/M, Making Out, Post-Inter-High
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-18
Updated: 2020-06-18
Packaged: 2021-03-04 00:20:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,722
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24794530
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Unbreakablefantasy/pseuds/Unbreakablefantasy
Summary: Oikawa has a strong heart and a brilliant mind. He’s powerful, beautiful, and he’s burning up from the inside. The King of the clouds that can’t seem to make his way back to earth. Lightning in a bottle, about to fall and shatter.Hajime, on the other hand, is so very tangible.“I’m glad you didn’t go to Shiratorizawa,” He says, “And I've never believed in anyone as much as I believe in you.”
Relationships: Iwaizumi Hajime/Oikawa Tooru
Comments: 8
Kudos: 127





	Ahead by a Century

Though he doesn’t like to show it, Oikawa is a wallower.

He only wallows in private, and he vehemently denies it whenever Hajime brings it up, vehemently denies any part of himself that could ever be seen as _weak_. It hurts Hajime a little bit on the inside if he’s honest with himself, but like Oikawa and his wallowing, he’ll never admit to it either.

Hajime leaves Oikawa halfway through the match between Karasuno and Shiratorizawa, finding himself without the words to comfort his friend. Besides, not much gets through to Oikawa amidst all of his broodings. Instead, he later finds himself biking past Aobajohsai at dusk because he _knows_ that the gym lights will be on, and he can practically _hear_ the sound of serves smacking the ground.

He’s right, of course. Because to him, finding Oikawa is as easy as tracing the lines on his own palm.

He’s wearing his uniform because Oikawa Tooru doesn’t know how to Let Things Go. Standing in the corner of the court, he slams a ball down onto the other side with such a force that Hajime can feel the vibrations through the soles of his shoes.

It lands just outside the line. Oikawa scowls before launching another ball after it. Tears are forming in the corners of his eyes, but he refuses to let them fall. He picks up another ball and tosses it into the air.

Hajime realizes that maybe he doesn’t need to use words. Not that many, at least.

“Stop, idiot.” He wraps his arms gently around Oikawa, clasping his hands against his chest. Oikawa gasps in surprise but relaxes after a moment. His long, slender, bandaged fingers reach up to touch Hajime’s.

The ball lands a couple feet away, rolling off to the side of the court.

“Give a guy some warning, Iwa-chan,” Oikawa chuckles gently, leaning back into Hajime’s chest.

Moments like these have increased in both their occurrence as well as intensity over the past few months, but still unacknowledged. Oikawa still flirts with any girl who takes an interest. Hajime resolutely refuses any romantic advance that crosses his path just as he’s always done. It’s only ever really real in these moments of vulnerability, where Oikawa lets himself melt into Hajime’s arms, and Hajime presses his forehead into the nape of his neck.

Though he’s sure he could stay like this forever, the nagging uncertainty in the back of his head causes Hajime to let go of Oikawa, stepping away. Oikawa turns to face him, perhaps quizzically, and Hajime shoves his hands into his pocket.

“Wait for me to change, then toss me a few spikes.”

Oikawa’s smile is barely a ghost of his usual manic, maniacal grins. Still, it’s good enough for Hajime, so he sets down his helmet and backpack and heads to the locker room. He probably would’ve been just fine in the t-shirt and sweats he has on now, but the truth is he’s just as bad as Oikawa at letting things go.

\-----

Though their recent defeat has put a wet blanket over their spirit, Hajime will never grow tired of the sound of the ball slamming down onto the hardwood. The sting on his palm makes it tangible. The glow of Oikawa’s smile makes his chest feel light.

Oikawa sets to him until he runs out of balls, then they collect them all and do it again, and again. An hour passes, then another, until it’s nearing midnight, and Hajime is wondering how his legs haven’t fallen off and how Oikawa is still setting to him with any degree of accuracy. After a particularly forceful landing, Hajime finds himself crumpling to his knees, the air in his lungs turning metallic with exhaustion.

“Iwa-chan, are you okay?” Oikawa calls out, jogging over to check on him.

“Yeah…yeah, I just…I just need a minute.” Hajime pants out. Oikawa kneels next to him to check him for injuries.

“Stupid Iwaizumi, you should’ve told me if you were tired.” He scolds, satisfied with his examination, and shifting his weight to crouch on the balls of his feet. His face is stained with tears, eyes bloodshot and puffy. _How had he missed that?_

“And you should’ve told me how upset you were, Shittykawa,” Hajime says, but there’s no venom to it. Oikawa reaches up to wipe away his tears, but Hajime grabs his hand before he can.

“Just…lie here with me for a moment?” He asks because he knows Oikawa’s pride would never let him ask for comfort.

“Okay, Hajime.” His heart skips a beat at the sound of his given name. It had been a long time since Oikawa had called him that.

And so, they lie there, with Hajime’s back against the net pole as he cradles Oikawa’s head in his lap. They’d probably die of embarrassment if anyone ever saw them like this, but it’s midnight, and Hajime’s head is swimming with exhaustion and affection, so he can’t find it in himself to mind.

“Ushijima keeps telling me I should’ve gone to Shiratorizawa,” Oikawa says after a little while, and suddenly it clicks for Hajime. It’s not just the pain of losing that’s sending Oikawa over the edge; it’s the doubt of his decisions, himself, and his team. It’s the guilt of even considering doubting those things, and the inability to stop doubting even though the guilt is eating him alive.

“Do you think he’s right?” Hajime asks, not sure if he wants to hear the answer.

“Does it matter?” Oikawa replies, though it obviously _does_ matter. Hajime can see his mind spinning in his eyes, whirling through a million possible scenarios that Hajime could never hope to keep up with if he spent the rest of his life trying. “My head says yes. My gut says no.” He admits, looking away from Hajime with shame.

Oikawa has a strong heart and a brilliant mind. He’s powerful, beautiful, and he’s burning up from the inside. The King of the clouds that can’t seem to make his way back to earth. Lightning in a bottle, about to fall and shatter.

Hajime, on the other hand, is so very tangible.

“I’m glad you didn’t go to Shiratorizawa,” He says, “And I've never believed in anyone as much as I believe in you _.”_

Then, he leans down and presses his lips to Oikawa’s.

Hajime should’ve probably taken into account the fact that he’s never kissed anyone in his entire life, and the angle is probably the worst thing ever. When he pulls away, mortified, Oikawa has the audacity to _laugh_ at him, before grabbing his face in his hands and pulling him down for another kiss.

And then Hajime is breathless for a different reason. Perhaps it’s the warmth of Oikawa’s mouth, his fingers lacing through his hair, or that the last thing he saw before closing his eyes was Oikawa laughing. He barely has time to form the thought _I’ve got it really damn bad_ before Oikawa starts doing something with his tongue that has him seeing colors beneath his eyelids. Hajime touches the exposed skin on the small of Oikawa’s back, and then all of that lightning is charging through his veins. Oikawa gasps beneath him and Hajime is pretty sure he’s going to die.

After what is possibly the best thing Hajime will probably experience in his entire life, they pull away to catch their breath. Hajime arches over Oikawa, still holding him in his arms, and Oikawa is cradling Hajime’s face in his hands like it’s something way more precious than it is.

 _“_ _Tooru.._ _._ ” He starts.

 _“_ _Hajime?”_

 _“Aren’t you glad now that you didn’t go to Shiratorizawa?”_ Hajime can’t help himself, snickering.

“Hajime!” Oikawa flicks his head. “Way to ruin the mood!” Hajime just laughs, enjoying how Oikawa says _Hajime_ with the same intonation as he says _Iwa-chan_.

“Just you wait. I’ll start saying Ushijima’s name in bed.” Oikawa threatens, teasingly. Hajime abruptly stops laughing and turns bright red at the thought of doing _that_ with his best-friend-now-quite-possibly-something-more. Seeing Hajime’s face, Oikawa realizes the weight of his words and his own cheeks flush a brighter color. Still, he holds his ground because he’s still prideful and possibly even more stubborn than Hajime, and leans up to smugly whisper in his ear. “Though I suppose you’ll have to find out.”

“Cut it out, Shittykawa,” Hajime says, mostly because he couldn’t handle it if Oikawa decided to keep going.

“Always such a downer, Iwa-chan.” It’s Oikawa’s turn to laugh, and he settles his head back into Hajime’s arms because they can do that now. The idea of being able to hold Oikawa in his arms whenever he wants to has him more elated than the kiss.

“We should head home soon, it’s late.” Hajime points out, carding his fingers through Oikawa’s hair. “I can drop you off on my bike.”

“In a minute.”

“Tooru…”

“Please?”

And just like that, Hajime relents, because it’s Oikawa and despite their hesitancy, they’ve already given each other their entire lives.

\-----

Oikawa gazes at the stars as he sits on the back of Hajime’s bike, as Hajime cycles a half a mile in the opposite direction of his own house towards the Oikawa residence. He points out his favorite stars and constellations, none of which Hajime can fully admire without crashing them into a curb, but when he can, he steals glances back at the boy behind him. With the wind in his hair and his eyes turned skywards, Oikawa’s tear-streaked face seems like a distant memory.

Not to say that he’s over it, because Hajime knows Oikawa’s crippling self-doubt has been plaguing him for years even though he’d rather die before admitting it outright. But his filter is gone, at least for this moment. His smug and cocky façade gives way to a smile that makes Hajime believe that Oikawa is really, truly happy.

Hajime walks him to the door, and Oikawa kisses him goodnight. It’s disgustingly cliché, and Hajime is pretty sure it’s all he wants for the rest of his life. When Oikawa finally pulls away, he rests his forehead against Hajime’s own and murmurs against his lips.

“Thanks for believing in me, Iwa-chan.”

And because Hajime knows he’d follow Oikawa to the ends of the earth, his next promise is easy.

“Always.”

**Author's Note:**

> Never written Haikyuu before, but I hope you enjoyed this!


End file.
